BESPOKE SUITS: WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN HAVING A SUIT TAILOR MADE

Nothing dresses up a city wedding quite like a tailored suit. In fact, bespoke suiting dresses up any event. But, venturing to your city's equivalent of Saville Row tailor can be intimidating. After all, you're spending a lot of time and money to truly craft a work of sartorial art. 

So, in an effort to help you make the most of your tailoring experience - it should be above all a fun one - allow us to share some of our pointers for coming away with a top-notch, maybe even top-stitch, bespoke suit. 

Bespoke Tailoring is Expensive

We cannot beat around the bush here: fine tailoring costs money. But, every dollar you spend going bespoke will pay off year in and year out. So, whatever your budget, make sure to spend as much as you can on the best tailor possible. 

While many brands and stores boast bespoke suiting at reasonable prices, know that the higher the bill the closer the tailor. Many brands save money by sending suits overseas and causing you to miss out on the fine skills and artistry of a tailor fitting and adjusting directly to your body. 

Fabric is Everything

Pick the best fabric your tailor has available and that fits your budget. Simply put, finer fabrics last longer. 

And, while you're at it, do your best to avoid patterns and colors that are too on trend. Bespoke suits, made of fine fabrics, are made to last. Don't compromise their long lifespan by picking neon, windowpane plaid! 

Fit Again and Again and Again and Again

Bespoke tailoring is all about the fittings so lean in and enjoy the experience of a talented tailor draping, pinning, chalking and adjusting your suit to your body. 

Your first visit will be all about taking your measurements and understanding the particularities of your body. Think of this as your outline. Your first fitting - or skeleton baste - will focus on making sure the parts are sewn together and basically hang on your body. This stage is all about the foundation. The second fitting, or the forward, will be about adding all elements to the suit and adjusting these to the contour of your body. This is really where the sculpting happens. Your third fitting or finish bar finish is all about the fine details, except the button holes. This is the icing on the cake stage. 

Don't be alarmed if a fourth fitting happens. Tailors don't always nail each fitting right out of the box, whether because you have a particular body feature that requires some tweaking, because the fabric behaves in a certain way or because sometimes things just don't come together as planned. 

At every fitting you will feel the suit morphing into a second skin. And, by the time you try on the finished product, it will be hard for you to ever go back to an off-the-rack number! 

Get Fit Before You Get Fit

Make sure you are feeling great about your physique at the first fitting. You don't want to be changing your body through excessive gym-going or dieting while you're getting fit for your suit. 

Each fitting is about getting your suit to precisely contour your body and if you're chasing that body contour every visit, your tailor is going to be fit to be tied. 

Use your bespoke suiting experience as incentive to get and stay fit well before you rock that suit down the wedding runway aisle. 

Understand the House Cut

Italian tailoring tends to be more body-conscious and streamlined. English tailoring errs on the side of being more generous and whimsical. French tailoring leans more formal and uptight. German tailoring should be avoided! 

Make sure you understand they style and cut your tailor is most adept at. While they will all claim they cut across sartorial borders, the reality is that they will wave one country's "swatch" over another. 

Check out the suits they have in their shop. Ask to try one on in your size. Peruse photos of other happy customers. Inquire as to where and with whom the trained. All inputs will help you decide if you're a sprezzatura man or a dandy.